“The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George – Mending Via Books

The hardships of life come in countless forms, and the remedies prescribed for them are even more numerous, ranging from plants and oils to meditative exercises to aromatherapy and so on and so forth.

However, when it comes to problems of the heart (metaphorically-speaking) or the mind, there are few things in this world that can equal the healing potential of literature.

It can take us away to different worlds, help us find new ways to interpret our situations, and give us advice on how to proceed in difficult situations.

In The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George we are introduced to Monsieur Perdu (“perdu” stands for “lost” in French) who has a very peculiar business: a bookshop on his barge.

However, he isn't just any kind of librarian... rather, he fancies himself as a literary apothecary. People come to him with their souls wounded and hearts broken, and he aims to mend them using his intuition in picking out the precise books that will help them turn things around.

For all the people he has managed to help over the years though, Perdu has never quite been able to heal his own wounds, left years ago when the love of his life disappeared leaving only a letter... one he never opened, until today.

After reading it, Perdu decides it is high time to reach the story's conclusion, and sets sail to southern France in the company of a famous but blocked writer and an Italian chef whose love has gone unrequited.

A very light and warming story in its nature, The Little Paris Bookshop has a world of thoughts and ideas to offer the reader in addition to the story itself. As Perdu travels down the Seine he comes into contact with a whole bunch of other people, each one having something to add to his knowledge of this world and what makes it turn.

There is a whole lot for the reader to take in, with everything revolving around a main theme, and that is the power books have to shape people's lives, thoughts, opinions, beliefs and values. More importantly perhaps, it is about how books can take our minds and souls on journeys where they can heal themselves and rise from the ashes of past failures.

There is certainly a lot of wisdom dispensed, but rest assured none of it is numbingly complex or breaks the rhythm of the story... rather, it's all expressed in rather simple words, even the more complicated ideas.

As far as the plot itself goes, it gives way to many warm moments, the kinds that happen when characters find closure and inner peace, as well as laughs and intriguing adventures.

The dynamic trio of the librarian, the author and the chef has been created with great care, introducing between them the kind of chemistry you'd be hard-pressed to find in real life... in that regard, they're almost reminiscent of the three stooges.

As Perdu gets closer and closer to his actual goal the tension builds up quite well, and by the end of it we end up caring about him as much as a real person, wishing with all our willpower for the end of his story to be a happy one.

In conclusion, The Little Paris Bookshop is most certainly a heartwarming adventure that leaves you with plenty of food for thought without ever overloading you with heavy philosophies or complex monologues.

It maintains its light tone throughout the whole duration, and is the perfect read for those who want to immerse themselves in the world of books and explore their true powers.

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Nina George Personal site Nina George is a German writer who made her marks in the world of literature upon publishing The Little Paris Bookshop, which became an international bestseller. She has also worked as a cop reporter, columnist and managing editor for various publications, and has also written books under the names of Anne West and Jean Bagnol.